Introduction
Tension gripped Uttar Pradesh’s Sonpur village following the tragic lynching of Maulana Mohammad Farooque, the 70-year-old madrassa owner and general secretary of Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind Pratapgarh chapter. The incident has caused considerable unrest among the Muslim-dominated village, leading to protests and demands for justice.
The Incident
According to police reports, Maulana Mohammad Farooque was allegedly beaten to death over a land dispute. The incident occurred when Farooque visited the home of the accused, Chandramani Tiwari, 45, to resolve the issue. The deceased had purchased land from Tiwari seven years ago but had not taken possession. Despite this, Tiwari continued using the land for cultivation and recently borrowed more money from Farooque. Tensions escalated when Tiwari sold the land to another party, leading to a violent confrontation.
Community Response
The situation deteriorated further when residents discovered Farooque’s blood-soaked body. Protests erupted, with the angry villagers preventing the police from taking the body for post-mortem. They demanded harsh actions against the perpetrators, including the demolition of Tiwari’s house. The situation escalated, prompting police to resort to lathicharges to disperse the crowd. Senior administrative officials, including the Superintendent of Police and the District Magistrate, arrived at the scene to calm the situation, assuring the villagers of stern legal action against the accused.